Greetings! It’s that magical time of the year when baseball pundits publish their annual rankings and Orioles fans can argue about whether Samuel Basallo should be the fourth-best prospect in baseball or
the eighth. But beyond the fortunes of individual prospects, where does the organization as a whole stack up heading into 2026?
The Orioles’ farm system has seen significant turnover in the past six months. The team conducted a full sell-off at the July 2025 trade deadline, moving Cedric Mullins, Ramón Laureano, Ryan O’Hearn, and several relievers in exchange for 16 prospects—11 of them pitchers—highlighted by lefty Boston Bateman (from San Diego), right-hander Juaron Watts-Brown (Toronto), and hard-throwing Wellington Aracena and control artist Anthony Nunez (Mets). The emphasis on arms addressed long-standing criticisms of the organization’s pitching development. Then, unexpectedly in December, the Orioles flipped some of that newly-acquired depth to land Shane Baz from the Rays, sending out four prospects including 2025 draft picks Caden Bodine and Slater de Brun, along with pitching prospect Michael Forret. The net effect: Baltimore restocked with young, high-upside arms in the summer, then cashed in some of that capital for a major league starter with three years of control.
In the last month, three major outlets have now weighed in on farm system rankings: ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, The Athletic’s Keith Law, and MLB Pipeline’s executive poll. The results paint the Orioles of a system in transition—one that’s graduated significant talent but still has plenty of reasons for optimism.
The Rankings
Let’s start with where everyone has the Birds. ESPN slots the Orioles at 13th overall, while Keith Law has Baltimore ranked somewhat higher in his tiered system (No. 9 overall, third tier). And in MLB Pipeline’s executive poll, the Orioles received votes for best farm system but didn’t crack the top tier—a notable slide from the days when Baltimore was the consensus No. 1 system in baseball.
For context, Milwaukee now sits atop ESPN’s rankings, followed by Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Law agrees on Milwaukee, with Los Angeles and Seattle make up the rest of his Top 3. MLB Pipeline gives the top three spots to LA, Seattle, and Detroit, putting the Brewers fifth. When it comes to prospect depth, the Brewers have become something of a model organization, excelling on the international market (Jesús Made, Jackson Chourio) and finding later-round draft gems. It wasn’t that long ago when the Orioles were the ones being held up as the gold standard. Six consecutive No. 1 farm system rankings from MLB Pipeline feels like ancient history now.
The good news is that the evaluators remain bullish on the system’s top-end talent. Basallo continues to appear in the top ten on every list, with ESPN ranking him fourth overall. Keith Law has him at No. 8. The consensus is clear: when healthy and behind the plate, Basallo has as much offensive upside as any catching prospect in recent memory.
McDaniel notes that the Orioles “sent four players from their extensive farm depth to the Rays in the Shane Baz deal” but still “ranks seventh in quality depth.” That trade, which brought back the talented but oft-injured right-hander, represents the kind of calculus the Orioles have had to make as they try to balance building for the future with winning now.
Beyond Basallo, the evaluators identify Trey Gibson and Dylan Beavers as the other blue-chip pieces in the system. All three should see significant major league time in 2026—Basallo and Beavers essentially graduated last August and will be roster staples from Opening Day.
Law’s list differs somewhat from the others. He has five Orioles in his top 100: Basallo at No. 8, shortstop Wehiwa Aloy at No. 73, outfielder Nate George at No. 78, catcher/outfielder Ike Irish at No. 85, and outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. at No. 97. Notably absent from Law’s rankings is Beavers, who appeared at No. 21 on Baseball America’s list. Law is particularly enthusiastic about George, describing him as a player who “plays like his hair’s on fire” with “All-Star upside” if he can develop above-average power.
One recurring theme across the rankings is that the Orioles’ system is a bit thinner behind the top names than it used to be. That’s the natural consequence of a pipeline working exactly as intended. When Jackson Holliday, Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Grayson Rodriguez were all in the minors together, the system looked unstoppable. Now those players are either establishing themselves at the major league level, and not necessarily with the Orioles.
The executive poll is perhaps most telling here. When asked which teams “hoard prospects the most,” the Orioles have slid down the list—they used to be right at the top with Cleveland. Baltimore still appears in votes for best farm system and best at developing hitters, but the organization is no longer the unanimous choice it once was.
McDaniel offers some optimism on this front, noting “there’s a nice layer beyond them of nearly 20 prospects who could be in the top 200 prospects in the sport next winter.” Names like Luis De León, the 22-year-old lefty who dominated the Arizona Fall League, could be poised to rise. The system isn’t empty; it’s just younger than it was a few years ago.
The practical implications of these rankings matter less than the talent actually on the field. Basallo and Beavers will be in Baltimore fighting for Rookie of the Year honors, potentially earning the team an extra draft pick if either wins. Gibson and Bradfield are a level away and could debut this season. The pipeline, while not quite as loaded as it was during the peak rebuild years, continues to flow.
The Orioles also appear in one poll’s top for “best at developing hitters” and receive mention for their work on the international market. The organizational infrastructure that built this system remains intact, even as the headliners have moved on to Camden Yards.
Is 13th overall where Orioles fans want to see their farm system ranked? Probably not. But it’s worth remembering what that ranking represents: a system that has successfully graduated multiple All-Star caliber players while still retaining a top-five overall prospect in Basallo. The goal was never to have the best farm system in perpetuity—it was to build a sustainable winner.
The next wave is coming. It just might take a little longer to arrive than the last one did.
